Centrifugal separator



E. LARs- 2,403,089 ONTRIFUQAL sEPARAToR Filed April 5o, 1945 July 2, 1946,

\ 111/01//////////////////////Mf Q Patented July 2, 1946 UNITED NSTATES PATENT: orrlclez CENTRIFUGALSEPARATOR Ernest Lars, Melrose. Park,'. *IIL Application April 30, 1943, `Serial No. 4852143` 2 Claims. p l

This invention relates to separatorsy such as are used in dairies for separating cream Afrom milk; the object of the present invention being to separate the milkv into the whey, which is the serum portion" of the milk and thejmore coagulable and thicker part of the milk, or'th'e curd, in the processof cheese making, namely, it is the process ofdehydrating the milkto obtain a residue oi cheese.

lAnotherobjectY of myinvention is to provide a machineof the aforementioned character which is 'efiicient in its operation, and practical inconstruc'tion," as well as of: such simple construction as to lend itself readily for economical production in quantity. Y Y

`Other objects; advantages, and features resi-- dent in my invention may become 'readily apparent from an examination of the accompanying drawing andthe ensuing description, wherein like numerals Will be used to-designate likeparts and in which:

Figl is a frontviempartly' in .cross-section in order to better illustrate the internal structure of my invention.. Y

Fig/2i` is. an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional View of'the upper portion of my invention comprising the most vital'v structure of my said invention;n

Fig. 3V isf-an enlarged longitudinal fragmentary cross-sectional View;v similar to, Figure Z-,Jtaken on the vlinef 3-3 of. Figure 4, elucidating, more. clearlyjthe `core* structure: OfmyinVentiOn and the separator elements which distinguish myinvention. from the ones used rin-presentftypev sepa; rators used for separatingycream'from milk...`

Y Fig.` 4' is a transversal Ycross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 shown to a reduced scale.

5` -is a fragmentary transversal crossesectional view` un the line 5-5illustrating the spiral gearing transmission-used to connect a motive povver means' with. the rotor elementVv comprising myinvention.

Referring more particularlyjto Figure 1-, my ink Vention, is,V generally; designated by the numeral Ii and is comprised of a body 1, having a cap 84 and being joined theretoA by virtue of shoulder` 56 `and bored flange 51, and havingv legs 8, also further Iprovided. with al'pedestal suitable for mounting thereon` thev hydraulic pumpingv unit B2 which is driven by worm gear 63 receiving its rnotion from the Worm 64 mounted on, the shaft 5 5 of :the motor 66. The said motor is mounted on bracket 19 itsY shaft connected thru suitable conduits 61 andJBBthrua, switch 13A to a. source of electrical/energy 6.9.; Y

vThe .pumping unitf62 is .connected to the body Ii-by means of-pipefGI and: elbovv 60; The said' elbovvv is' connected to a flange 14 in the; body "1 the said ange being suitably recessed in order to receive a bearing 59 to permit a rotary motion' to the'hollow sleeve I2 which is further secured by'means of `alarge spindle elementII having a tapered extension I3, theA said spindle element II andthe extension I3 being bored out to the same sizeea's the tubing element I2 providing the path-Way I4 for the milk initially tobe'passedK thru while the said sleevel I2 is inrotary motion; The spindle I If is rotatably supported on the flange 9 having a machinedfsurface- Iand being suitabl'y bored out 4at 42 tofgl'iold the lower' end of spindle III/- f The' milk is originally fed in' thruthe inleti1-15.

The motor -in order to drive the rotor;"generally,y designated 58 which is secured to the rotating 'f pipe Y I2, is r'connected theetoby means off'spiral gearingllsecured Viirmly to the Ashaft 65,`.the companion'spiral gear 'I2 being rigidly mounted on the rotating pipe or sleeve I2. 1

Thetapered extension I8 furnishes suitable frictionalgripping' Vfor the tapered recess inthe lower part. of the rotor structure designated I1 and is securely attached thereto by virtue of the nut designated 2| which is suitably threaded 'at I9 andis .provided with a` transversal recess-I6 meeting'the bore |:II so asv to perm-it the liquid to be dispersed thru thesaid opening I6 in directions to the. right and left as indicatedY by thea'rrows thus` forcing' the liquid thru the openingsf23 in the flange 22 thence thru openings 45 in plates 18. The4 flange 22'of'the centralsupport 44, is nrmly secured-in the bored. recess. 2 Iy andzis. held in position by virtue of shoulder 4Il of' the'upper clampingmernber 15, it havingseveral'bosses .11, adapted to receive thelinking studs 52 which are provided with reduced shoulder portions 5.3', being threaded andnrmly secured by the nuts 54'. l. The central support 44 alsohas a shoulder portion in 'order to permit .the upper clamping unit'16 to hold: the entire assemblage. of discs 18. rx'nly in place; :The said1discs18 are. suitably bored out. at their mid-point and are of progressively varied diameters beginningat the bottomf gradu-` ally increasing vuntil they reach theemaximum diametral.portionxinterior of the rotor and gradually recede until they are smaller in diameter. The plates or discs 18 are kept separated by virtue of the bump portions 43'Which may be depressions as indicatedin the said plates andthe pla-tes being further provided with a series of holes 45 thruf which. 'the milk will'ibe forced'.V inpassing perpendicularly asl .well as being v.forced transthru duct l5 uhfil it iS fed thru 'theuflttigs 36,

thru the central lvalve 31, and is collected at'the .i outlet 38. At this outlet, the water dehydrated from the milk is received, it being lighter than the cheese or curd element comprising the milk.

which would be forced outward in View of the rapid gyration and centrifugal force to Whichthe rotor 58 is to be subjected, the recesses provided in between elements 18 as well as the holes 45 all tending to aid in breaking up the lighter from the heavier elements of thernilk.

. The rotor 58 is comprised of thelower member lil being secured to its upper-memberr30, pro-` vided with a flange V2,1119 meet the flange 25 of the member I'I` and 'having -agasket 29 interposed therebetween ,'Ithe'threaded portion 28 serving to lock the two elements Atogether by virtue of the nut 26, having a' angegfor vretaining the assemblage of elements l1 and 3| When nut 26 is securely Vtightened Ain place. The upper portion ofgftherotor unit `C eSignated `80 4rotates in a gland formed by the lock-nutq34 having a shoulder portion 35 which clampsthe flange on the fitting tion M3a-having interposed therebetween the Y stufling 50 or 5I which may be of a babbit mate-` rial, orrof` the-usual impregnated felt ymaterial soas to furnish a s uitablefstufng boxer gland intermediate the memberwftending to keep the stfins and 5|-even1yspad .and ,under-colm-` pressionwhen the lockjnut34;is tightened.

` A similar stuffing box-construction is indicated to house the extension-of the innermember Tl` in'A order to keen the separated elements from intermixing priorto their being exhausted from theiseparator. fThe said extension 82 operates in a similar stuffing-box; the nut 83'and the stuffing elements being of a -similar arrangementV asprovided'for thel elementl `,and the rotor 58.

j The operation vof `this separator machine is as follows?The`milk*isfjorigina1ly fed in thru the inlet] 5, running thru the pump 62, thru the.` pipe 6l and Yelbow, 6,0,- thru the rotating tube I2, its passage way I4fforcingr the said material in an upward'r direction whereby it is dispersed thru opening I6 and-thereby separated soV as to follow theipath of the arrows, the `lighter portion, or thewater following falong the pathway 39 the heavier material being forced outward vby the"v centrifugal force causedbythc, rapid rotationv 'and gylation` of the rotor, the heavier material following Ythru the pathway of the valve 4'1,`

finally to be exhausted at 48.

The separationof cheese or curd of milk from the Whey or serunlifs an operation which'requiresl a greater amount of force, and for this reason found it necessary to make horizontal plates and thus facilitate action for separating the very heavy curd to be forced outward `yet permit the water to follow the inward path and be exhausted as at 38.

' `'Ihegeneral form of ",citearn separator would not-'performthis function; i1; is this modication of the separator blades or disc elements which I have provided and the method of separating vertically and horizontally which helps break down the physical structure of the milk into its component elements and the heretofore described inverted` cup-shaped arrangement 4| protects and acts as a precautionary or safety measure so that after dehydration and before ultimate separation none of the liquid may be accidentally thrown intov admixtureV with the heavier coagulable cheese masses.

I believe I have described rather succinctly the nature and operation of'my invention, and inasmuch as it may be susceptibleof many modifications, alterations, and. improvements, I" hereby reserverthe right to all-such modifications, alterations, rand improvements nwhich come Ywithinthe scope and spirit-ofv the-accompanying drawing, the spiritA Yand scopepf nmy invention, or -within the Apurview of ythe;aferementi cned description; my invention to be limited only by the subjoined claimsj v A* Having thus described and revealed myinven-f tion,V what I claim as `new and-desire,tosecuregby LettersPatentis: j y i f l.Y A; separator comprising, an outer frame, a rotor mounted in said frame adapted Vto separate theY coagulate element from'l the liquidi element Y components of a fluid passing therethruprotatable inlet'means securedwithin said 'frame andconnected to said rotor, the'rsai'dirotor consisting'iof an upper pear-shaped body casings'ecured to'ian inverted lower pear-shaped .body casing, the said upper casing rotatably :confined said'f-outer frame and'provided with' an outlet,` a central support having a flange portion secured to a recess within the said lowerrotor casing; the saidV cen-` tral support"further provided with'an upright shaft portion having a'central opening at its extrernityopposite the said flange portion', thesaid openingY communicatingwi'th a Vcentral passage terminating in an an'gularpassageV offset with respect to said 'central passage 'opening at the surface of' said upright"shaftportion;YV acup-shaped bane dement secured to Ythe said uprightshaft portion. and confined .within the said 'upper rotor casing, a multiplicity of flat disc-shaped separator elements' 'of varied peri'rrietralV vconfigura-A tions receding in size from the midportion f of said rotor toward each of its ends, the said discshaped separator elements being mounted onvthe said upright shaftportioh, the said disc-shaped separator elements further provided with a series of drilled openings'v in perpendicular' registry and a number of. bumped portions maintaining the saidvdisc-shaped separator elements in predeter-` minedy spaced relationship, and` dual exhaust means one branch thereof connected to the said opening in the said upright shaft portion and the remaining branch thereof connected to theg.- said outlet in `"the said upper pear-shaped casingthe assemblage of the said disc-shaped'separa'tor elements and the said cup-shaped. baille l element defining an annular. pear-shaped passage :coin- 6 means connected to the said pump means and to the said rotor the path of travel of the said liquid element being confined to an upward direction, whereas the said coagulate element being confined to an initially upward direction, an intermediate transverse direction, and an ultimate upward direction. p

ERNEST LARS. 

